Car-coupling



(No Model.)

0. H. PIERCE.

OAR GOUPLING.

No. 436,260. A Patented sept. 9, 1890.

z sns coi, piumino., wunmnou u UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HURBERT PIERCE, OF ROSSVILLE, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,260, datedSeptember 9, 1890.

Application led April l5, 1890. Serial No. 347,948. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HURBERT PIERCE, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Rossville, in the county of Vermilion andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a specication,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in car-couplings; and the leadingobject of my invention is the provision of a coupling which shall beautomatic in its coupling action,and thus avoid the ever-occurringaccidents to attendants in coupling the cars.

A further object of my invention is the provision of an automaticcoupling which shall be simple in construction and inexpensive and whichcan be readily and easily Yapplied to cars.

To attain the desired objects, my invention consists of the improved andnovel automatic car-coupling illustrated in the drawings, andspecifically described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated a car-couplin g constructedin accordance with and embodying my invention, the coupling beingemployed in this instance upon an ordinary freight-car.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of two cars with myimproved coupling applied, and Fig. 2 represents an elevation thereof.

Referring by numerals to the drawings, in which similar numerals denotecorresponding parts in the several igures, the numeral 1 denotes twoparallel bars secured to the under side of the cars; 2, guide-barssecured to the forward ends of the said bars, and 3 the casting securedbetween the parallel bars, in which the hook-shaped draw-bars 4 aresecured.

The casting 3, it will be seen, is provided with an opening to receivethe rear end of the draw-bar, and is formed with the curved recess 8X toallow lateral play of the draw-bar, and with the angular recess SXX toreceive the block on the inner end of the draw-bar when the same ispulled outward.

Secured between the casting 3 and one of the bars l is the inner end ofthe strong flat spring 5, which bears at its outer end against thehooked draw-bar and causes the said draw-bar to couple with the draw-barof the approaching car, as will be readily understood.

I employ the following means to effect the uncoupling of the car fromthe ground: The arm 6, having 'its inner portion working in the guide orloop '7 and provided with a notch or cut-away portion 6X, adapted toengage the guide, for limiting the movement of the said arm, the lever8, fulcrumed or pivoted to the disk and guided by the yoke 9.

I employ the rod 10, having at the top the hand-wheel 1l, having itslower end bearing in a plate l2, secured to the car, and the chain 13,connecting the rod to the draw-bar for uncoupling the cars from the topof the car.

The operation of my improved car-couplin g will be readily understoodfrom the description and drawings, for it is obviously evident that thecars come together and draw-bars `engage each other and couple, and touncouple the draw-heads it is `only necessary to operate the rod fromthe top of the car to release the draw-bars or to eiect this `end by theoperating lever and arm from the ground on one side of the car.v

It will be readily understood that Iprovide a coupling which isautomatic in operation, which can be readily and quickly uncoupled fromthe car or ground without damage or risk to the attendant, which can beapplied to cars at a moderate expense, and which is durable, thuspossessing the desired features to comm end the coupling as practicaland useful.

I claim as my invention- 1. An automatic car-coupling consisting of theparallel bars, the guide-bars secured to the outer ends thereof, thecasting betweenv the parallel bars having the curved and angularrecesses, the draw-bar engaging said casting, the spring bearing againstthe drawbar, the arm for engaging the draw-bar, the guide for said arm,the lever for operating the arm, and the rod connected to the drawbarfor operating the same, as described.

2. An automatic ca1-eoupling consisting of the parallel bars, thecasting secured between said bars, the draw-bar secured in said casting,the spring for engaging the draw-bar, the guide secured to one of thebars, the arm Working in said guide and notched to engage the guide, theplate secured t0 the car, and the rod having its lower end bearing inthe plate and connected to the draw-bar, substantially as described. zo

In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES HURBERT PIERCE. Witnesses:

JOHN J. MCELROY, M. F. MECAN.

